Continuing years of yes-no-yes-no debate, environmental studies, approval grants, challenges, and pauses, the much-discussed fourth cruise ship pier in Cozumel, Mexico, is once again on hold.
According to Mexico News Daily, the project is being debated yet again, this time just two months after receiving approval from the Environment Ministry. An injunction against the project was filed on June 13, 2025, and a new environmental impact study must be undertaken.
Cozumel is one of the world’s busiest cruise ship ports and the busiest port in Mexico, welcoming more than 4.5 million passengers in 2024.
There are currently three different docks for cruise ships, but as travel – and ship size! – continues to increase, a fourth dock would certainly be welcome.
That is, a fourth dock could be welcome for some – it would indeed bring more passengers to the island, improving retail profits and continuing to fill up tour company bookings.
Furthermore, a new pier would be able to more easily service the world’s largest cruise ships, including Icon of the Seas and the upcoming Star of the Seas. Both massive ships offer 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries that include regular visits to Cozumel.
Many detractors, however, note that the new pier might do more harm than good for the small island. The coral reef in Villa Blanca could be irreparably damaged by the construction, reducing critical marine habitat and reducing water quality.
The new pier might also disrupt emergency Coast Guard routes and delay response times to parts of the island, and could even hurt some tour businesses that rely on the health and accessibility of the coral reef.
Many local residents are also opposed to the new pier as it may block their recreational beach access.
Instead, locals want to promote overnight stays rather than welcome more cruise ships for day visits. When staying overnight, visitors not only support hotels and restaurants, but are more likely to explore multiple tours and other sites, adding even more benefit to the economy.
Cruise ship day visits, on the other hand, have a more limited impact. While cruise guests do indeed book tours and may enjoy lunch or dinner at a restaurant, they also leave more quickly.
With Cozumel continuing to grow in cruise popularity – the port has already welcomed more than 1.5 million cruise passengers in 2025 – more guests means more revenue.
More guests, however, can also mean more reef damage and overall environmental impact.
Furthermore, repeat travelers may be less likely to debark at the cruise port since they have visited previously, especially if they are frequent cruisers and their larger, newer ship offers more distractions.
One local, Toni Cháves, president of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association, noted that it isn’t the tourism that is vital for the area’s economic prosperity.
“We don’t live off of tourism,” he said. “We live off of the natural beauty that attracts tourism.”
Read Also: Cozumel Cruise Port – Terminals, Piers, and Getting Around – Full Guide!
Snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, sailing, fishing, birdwatching, and other nature-based activities are always popular in Cozumel. Increased usage, however, could make those activities less enjoyable and less profitable.
Similar Reasoning for Different Actions
Cozumel is not the only popular cruise ship destination that may be reconsidering new projects and increased tourism.
Many different ports of call, from Alaska to Maine to Italy, are taking steps to limit cruise visits in different ways. Some are restricting ship size or implementing overall passenger caps for daily visitors.
Other tactics include moving ship piers away from already congested downtown areas, as is being promoted in Bordeaux, France.
Some ports are increasing taxes on cruise visitors to fund restoration or conservation projects to help mitigate the impact so many visitors may have.
In fact, cruise guests to Cozumel will have a new $5 per passenger tax beginning in just a few days, on July 1, with incremental increases over the next few years.
